A Fairytale Come True
Having become accustomed to the Disney version of "Beauty and the Beast," one is pleasantly surprised to see a different and rarely-performed rendition of the age-old fairytale. For Grady Elementary School Drama Club students, it was an exciting time to show off the hard work and the final product of many weeks of rehearsal.
Folklorists have traced the origin of "Beauty and the Beast" to the second century A.D. and the Roman writer Apuleius, with the modern-day version deriving from a series of tales written by Madame Barbot de Gallon de Villeneuve in 1740.
The Grady Drama Club purchased the rights to the fairytale-true script by playwright Kathryn Schultz-Miller, to which they added music and choreography.
Third-through-sixth grade students portrayed the familiar characters of Beauty, Beast, Papa, Prince, Bruno and Marcel, with supporting cast members playing Enchantress, Narrator, Mrs. Teatime, Tink, Wind-Up, and Sparkle. Color guards, forest creatures, villagers and dancers provided background action during critical scenes, such as when Belle is lost in the forest. Fearsome wolverine-like creatures slithered around the main character as she searched for her father. The familiar Broadway recording of "Be Our Guest," was piped in while costume-clad kitchen utensils and dishes pranced around. Delicate ballerinas provided a dance interlude during a dream scene when Papa is sleep-walking in the garden and picks the famous rose.
"I choreographed a few small dance numbers," said director and fourth grade teacher Christine Budzynski. "We thought it would be a great way to incorporate more children into the world of theater." She was ably assisted by her two co-directors, fourth grade teacher Kim Breen, and kindergarten teacher Mary Potenza.
For some of the children, this was a first theatrical performance experience; for others, it was old hat. Sixth grader Heather Rubin, aka Beauty, played the leading role in this, her first Grady production, but has been acting since the tender age of seven. "I've been in many other musicals and plays," said the veteran actress. "Some include performances with Central Park Dance and a theater program at Concordia College."
How did the students learn all those lines? Brooke Ramlakan, who played Mrs. Teatime, said it was easy. "I highlighted my lines and practiced reading the scenes, so I knew what came before and after my part."
For nine-year-old Corey Field, who portrayed Mr. Sparkle - better known as Lumiere in the film and stage version of "Beauty and the Beast" - practicing his lines at home with family was the method-of-choice. The fourth grader became seasoned as the show progressed, saying "By the last night, I felt confident!"
The three cast members interviewed all found performing in a school play a gratifying experience and would do it again. "I will continue to participate in the shows here at Grady, and who knows what the future will hold," concluded Corey.